Mechanical toy wheel

ABSTRACT

An operative toy of mechanical type for providing diversion to a child or person, the device consisting of a frame supporting a horizontal, freely rotatable shaft upon which there is rigidly attached a wheel or fly wheel, a pair of strings being attached to diametrically opposite sides of the shaft, the opposite ends of the strings each being attached to one end of a pull and recoil bar having a transverse central opening there through so to be fitted upon the shaft so that when the wheel and shaft are rotated, the strings wind up upon the shaft after which subsequently a pull of the bar along the axis of the shaft causes the shaft and wheel to rotate in an opposite direction, the device thus winding up the strings in the opposite direction so that the toy can be continued to operate with the wheel and shaft alternately rotating in opposite directions.

United States Patent [1 1 Lemoine [s 1 MECHANIQAL TOY [76] Inventor:Jack Lemoin eg sirnmesport, La. 22 Filed: Sept. 20, 1971' 21 Appl.No.:181,833

[52] US. Cl ..46/59 [51] Int. Cl. ..A63h 33/40 [58] Field of Search..46/59 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8l5,4l0 3/1906Curtis ..46/59 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 105,703 1917 GreatBritain ..46/59 Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-J.Q. Lever [451 May 1, 1973 [5 7] ABSTRACT An operative toy of mechanicaltype for providing diversion to a child or person, the device consistingof a frame supporting a horizontal, freely rotatable shaft upon whichthere is rigidly attached a wheel or fly wheel, a pair of strings beingattached to diametrically opposite sides of the shaft, the opposite endsof the strings each being attached to one end of a pull and recoil barhaving a transverse central opening there through so to be fitted uponthe shaft so that when the wheel and shaft are rotated, the strings windup upon the shaft after which subsequently a pull of the bar along theaxis of the shaft causes: the shaft and wheel to rotate in an oppositedirection, the device thus winding up the strings in the oppositedirection so that the toy.can be continued to operate with the wheel andshaft alternately rotating in opposite directions.

1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures MECHANICAL TGY WHEEL This invention relatesgenerally to activity toys.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a novelmechanical toy wheel which fascinates young children and which iseducational in view that it teaches the principals of mechanicalmovements according to natural forces.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical toywheel wherein a shaft and wheel are rotated alternately in oppositedirections when a pull and recoil bar is slided along the shaft.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanicaltoy, wheel which is safe for children, while in operation and which isdifferent from any other existing toy.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a mechanical toywheel wherein the wheel may incorporate a target upon one side thereofand again still which darts maybe thrown so to achieve a score.

Still another purpose of the present invention is to provide amechanical toy wheel wherein the circumferential edge could be dividedinto divisions each one of which is differently numbered so that wheelcomes to a halt, a series of paddles around the edge brushing against afixed pointer would stop the rotation and the pointer would indicate awinning number in the division stopped at the pointer.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a mechanical toywheel which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged inconstruction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention, and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation view thereof shown in operativeuse.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral representsa mechanical toy wheel according to the present invention wherein thereis a stationary frame 11 made of plastic or any other desirablemateriahthe frame 11 including a horizontal beam 12 which at itsopposite ends is supported upon a pair of opposite diagonally downwardlyextending legs 13. At one end of the beam 12 there is an upstanding post14 where as at the opposite end there are a pair of upstanding posts 15and 16. A bearing opening 17 near the upper end of the post 14 is inaxile alignment with an opening 18 along an intermediate portion of post15 and an opening 19 in an intermediate portion of the post 16; theopenings l7, l8 and 19 being adaptable to support rotatably free ahorizontally extending shaft 20. Removable collars 21 maybe secured toopposite ends of the shaft so as to prevent the shaft from accidentallyslipping out of the openings l7, l8 and 19.

A large wheel 22 is rigidly mounted upon the shaft 20, the wheel 22being positioned between the posts 15 and 16. The upper ends of theposts 15 and 16 extend higher than the wheel so that the upper ends ofthe posts are bridged together by means of an interconnecting member 23.

A pair of strings 24 and 25 are at there one ends 26 attached todiametrically opposite sides of the shaft 20, the opposite ends of thestrings each being secured to one end 27 of a pull and recoil bar 28which at its center is provided with a transverse opening 29 therethrough and through which the shaft 20 is free receivable.

It will be noted that the ends 26 of the strings are located relativelyclose to the one end of the shaft 20 so that the rod 28 can be alsofitted upon an opposite end portion of the shaft 20.

In operative use, in operating the toy, the wheel 22 is started torotate in one direction so that the strings 24 and 25 become rotatedupon the shaft and wrapped there around as shown in FIG. 2. When thishappens, and a great amount of the strings are wound up upon the shaft,the wheel and shaft gradually come to a halt, after which a personsimply gives a pull on the bar 20 into the direction as indicated byarrow 30 so that the pulling force by the strings cause the shaft andwheel to rotate in an opposite direction. This rotation continues untilthe strings become fully unwound immediately after which the stringswrap around the shaft in the opposite direction, this continuing untilmost of the strings are again wrapped around the shaft and the shaft andwheel gradually comes to a halt. The operator then again gives a pull inthe direction as indicated by arrow 30 thus causing the wheel and shaftto rotate in the next opposite direction. The child or person cancontinue this over and over, thus continuing the toy to operate insubsequent opposite directions.

Thus there is provided a mechanical toy wheel that is educational andwhich provides fun.

In a modified design of the invention, the wheel maybe made to beremovable from the shaft 20, one side of the wheel being made of a softmaterial and upon which a target is imprinted and against which dartsmaybe thrown for attaining a score.

In a further modified design of the invention, the wheel maybe providedwith soft plastic paddles along the peripheral edge thereof so as tobrush across a fixed indicator pointer. The peripheral edge between thepaddles maybe imprinted with various numerals, and when the wheel comesto a halt, that peripherial portion stopping at the pointer beingdeclared the winning number.

Thus various modified forms of the invention maybe provided.

What I now claim is:

1. In a mechanical toy wheel, the combination of an upstanding frame ofrigid plastic material or the like, said frame supporting a freelyrotatable shaft and wheel, and means for rotating said wheel and shafttogether in reciprocally opposite directions, said frame incorporating ahorizontal beam which at'its opposite ends is mounted upon a pair ofoppositely downwardly diagonally extending legs, one end of said beambeing integral with an upstanding post, the opposite end of said beambeing integral with a pair of parallel, spaced apart upstanding posts,all of said posts being provided with a bearing, said bearings being inaxial alignment with each other so that said shaft is supportedrotatably free therewithin, said wheel being permanently affixed to saidshaft, said wheel being located between said spaced-apart posts at oneend of said horizontal beam, a pair of strings being secured at theirone ends to diametrically opposite sides of said shaft, the oppositeends of said strings being secured to opposite sides of a transverse barhaving a central opening through which said shaft is inserted, said barbeing freely slideable along said shaft, and one side of said wheelbeing made of a soft material on which a target is imprinted and againstwhich darts may be thrown for attaining a score. 5

1. In a mechanical toy wheel, the combination of an upstanding frame ofrigid plastic material or the like, said frame supporting a freelyrotatable shaft and wheel, and means for rotating said wheel and shafttogether in reciprocally opposite directions, said frame incorporating ahorizontal beam which at its opposite ends is mounted upon a pair ofoppositely downwardly diagonally extending legs, one end of said beambeing integral with an upstanding post, the opposite end of said beambeing integral with a pair of parallel, spaced apart upstanding posts,all of said posts being provided with a bearing, said bearings being inaxial alignment with each other so that said shaft is supportedrotatably free therewithin, said wheel being permanently affixed to saidshaft, said wheel being located between said spaced-apart posts at oneend of said horizontal beam, a pair of strings being secured at theirone ends to diametrically opposite sides of said shaft, the oppositeends of said strings being secured to opposite sides of a transverse barhaving a central opening through which said shaft is inserted, said barbeing freely slideable along said shaft, and one side of said wheelbeing made of a soft material on which a target is imprinted and againstwhich darts may be thrown for attaining a score.